Surface anatomy as an entryway to clinical anatomy

Like clinicians, we begin our course with a physical exam. Students palpate their donor and paint the bony landmarks that will help them locate and paint the surface projection of structures included in a general physical exam. The exercise introduces the skeleton in relation to the underlying organs. The body painting then guides common surgical incisions. Through these incisions, students discover whether their donor had an appendectomy, an enlarged liver, and so on. This correlates surface landmarks with underlying structures and clinical applications. Surface anatomy is revisited in subsequent labs by focusing on the history, physical, and surgical procedures of actual clinical cases. Surface anatomy is further emphasized by performing simulated nerve blocks. Surface anatomy locates the insertion point for the needle and the deep structures that will be palpated with the tip of the needle. Students learn where nearby, unintended targets are located and the consequences of injuring them. Instead of anesthetic, the students inject paint. Dissection reveals the painted structures to emphasize nearest‐neighbor relationships. The faculty that subsequently teaches physical exam reports that students retain more anatomy, which allows the class to make greater progress on the clinical content. The clinical faculty's enthusiasm is further demonstrated by their active participation in our lab exercises.